Devil
by Fantom666
Summary: Neo and Trinity encouter girl in the Matrix and unplug her before actually getting to know her. Becoming their friend girl still continues to be a mystery.
1. Chance Meeting

A new blood joins this Earth  
And quickly he's subdued  
Metallica "Unforgiven"  
  
"Please, there were two of them, in black leather and with guns, they. Find them, please. They turned this way and."  
  
Man in a black suit was already gone, not waiting for girl to finish the sentence. Neo watched this girl lying to the agent and knew he want buy it. Impossible, but he did. He really did believe that girl and didn't even notice Neo and Trinity were standing just behind the corner. Was agent Brown really that much stupid? Not that Neo was afraid of agents, not after he discovered his powers. He just tried not to fight them in crowded a place, that's all. And today he did what he always did (what he did for about two weeks now, actually) - waited for agent to follow him to empty street. And then this girl appeared. She threw just one look at Neo and Trinity and fear appeared at her face. When agent appeared she actually pleaded him to help her, and agent believed her! Like he couldn't sense Neo. That was . impossible.  
  
Fear had disappeared from girls face in the moment agent got out of sight. "Doesn't look like you are going to thank me" - she said turning to Neo. "Not like we needed your help, - he answered, - but thanks anyway." He looked at this girl more closely. Just an ordinary teenager. About sixteen years old, black jeans, black long hair and gray eyes. Nothing unordinary. Not that he waited for abnormality, of course.  
  
"Look, - Neo continued after a small pause, - he is going to come back, when he'll understand you lied to him. And you are going to be in big trouble."  
  
Girl shook her head,: "Only, if he finds me. It's not like I'm going to stand here and wait for him."  
  
"And what are you doing right now? - Trinity interrupted, - let's get as far from here as possible." She headed towards the car, which was standing on the nearby street, sure that others will follow her.  
  
"So, what are we going to do now? - Neo asked from no one in particular, driving the car and not sure yet where they were heading, - We are not afraid of agents, but you have to be. You will fall more than easy shall they find you. Why did you do this anyway?"  
  
"What do you mean? - girl asked him, ignoring the last question completely, - That you are some kind of super heroes saving the world? Why should this man, agent like you call him, search for me? Or kill me? It's not like he is android programmed to kill you and all your friends, because you are the Messiah, and are meant to save the world from their tyranny."  
  
"Actually, you got this right, - Trinity smiled, - that's exactly what's happening. We are saving the world and Neo is the One, the one to save it."  
  
Neo wondered why was Trinity telling all this stuff to the complete stranger, and then it hit him. She smiled! Before he was the only one, who could make her smile. For him this meant only one thing: this girl was to be unplugged. Just as this thought crossed his mind, he shook his head in disbelief. God, he didn't even know her name and was already thinking about unplugging her.  
  
"I'm this Neo, by the way. She is Trinity. And you are." - well, at least finding out her name was easy.  
  
"It doesn't matter."  
  
Or maybe not. Let's try again,: "But we have to call you somehow. Don't you think "Hey, you!" is not good enough? "  
  
"Whatever."- girl curled on the back seat, suddenly loosing all childish happiness she was radiating just second ago.  
  
Car stopped. Neo was almost surprised to see old hotel, where he first met Morpheus. Damn it, he was the one driving and he didn't mean to come here. Three of them got out of car.  
  
"Now what?" - Trinity asked. But before Neo could reply with "I don't know", the girl spoke,: "Now I'm supposed to ask you something. But don't know the question. I really don't know." And while Neo and Trinity stood there stunned, she continued with strange bitterness in her voice,: "I don't want to know it, anyway. All I want is to wake up."  
  
"Wake up?" - Neo asked, afraid to believe his own ears.  
  
"Yes. To wake up and to understand all this was just the bad dream. That I'm not the one I thought I'm. - she smiled, - Am I insane?"  
  
"No, I don't think so." - Trinity managed to answer. This girl definitely knew nothing about the Matrix. She wasn't the hacker ether, as she didn't react at her and Neo's names. She was. Trinity wasn't sure yet what this girl was, but she was going to find out. She made few steps away from the girl, so she couldn't be overheard, and dialed Link.  
  
Neo wondered what did Trinity need from the operator, while watching her telling something to Link angrily, when he realized. She wasn't talking to Link she was talking to Morpheus. And Morpheus didn't seem to find her arguments good enough. It looked like it was the time to use his position as the One. Neo took the phone out of Trinity's hands: "Listen, Morpheus, just talk to her, OK? Just talk to this girl." On the other end of a phone Morpheus sighed, what probably had to mean - "And you, Neo". "Fine. - he answered after the long pause. - Fine. But only to find out what you two found in her. You know were to take her."  
  
"What we two found in her? I wish, I knew." - thought Neo giving the phone back to Trinity. Girl was standing silently during all this and it didn't seem like she was going to ask what was going on. Fine. Neo turned to her,: "I want you to meet someone. If you don't have other plans, of course".  
  
"Other plans? You've got to be kidding. Does it look like I ever had any?' Neo could do nothing but laugh.  
  
"Just a piece of advice. Be honest with him" - said Neo as he opened so well known to him door.  
  
"Be honest - the girl repeated, - yeah, I think I can do it."  
  
Both Neo and Trinity smiled. Now everything they could do was to wait. Everything depended on Morpheus now. And so they stood there silently, waiting.  
  
"Why are we doing this- Trinity suddenly asked, - I mean, we don't even know her. She doesn't know us, she doesn't know about the Matrix. How can it be that it seems so right to unplug her?"  
  
Neo didn't have time to answer as Morpheus opened the door.  
  
"Of course, no one is an angel. But she is the devil itself!"- he said, trying to sound casually but not succeeding.  
  
"That means...?"- Neo felt somehow nervous.  
  
"That means no one ever was able to convince me in such a short time. Not even Trinity, and I thought she was the most stubborn person on the Earth"- telling this Morpheus took two pills out of his pocket.  
  
~~*~~  
  
A\N: Don't judge me strictly, please! This is my first fic ever and as you have already noticed English is not my mother language. So mistakes correction is more than welcome! 


	2. Devil

Open mind for a different view  
And nothing else matters.  
Metallica "Nothing else matters"  
  
Morpheus turned to the girl, who was sitting in the armchair looking strangely childish and careless. When she saw everyone was looking at her, she almost jumped out of armchair and headed towards Morpheus.  
  
"Decision is yours. - Said Morpheus, offering her two pills, - you can take only one of them. Take the blue pill - and you won't even remember any of us, you won't even dream about us. And I promise that the agents will forget about you ether. Take the red pill and you will never be able to return to your past life. I'll show you the truth, the real world. But I'll take your world instead." Girl hesitated for a moment, then smiled: " How did you call me? Devil? Let it be the red one then. For the fires of Hell."  
  
As she took the pill and swallowed it, Neo could swear there were fires of Hell in her own eyes. But then again it could all be his imagination. Morpheus interrupted his thoughts: "Let's get to work, then. We don't have much time." Right, Link was probably already searching for her body right now.  
  
While they were switching the unplugging equipment on Trinity asked: "So? How are we supposed to call you now?"  
  
"Devil. - Was the answer. - That's who you think I'm."  
  
"Devil? Shouldn't you have the tail then?" - Neo decided to take part in the conversation. Devil smiled mischievously: " You see, I have had a fight with Morpheus. He had won and decided to keep my tail as a trophy." All four laughed at that, and looking at Trinity Neo once more decided that they were right unplugging this girl. She made Trinity smile almost as often as he did. Maybe he was supposed to feel jealous, but he felt thankful instead.  
  
It took Devil four days to recover and regain her conscious completely. On the fifth day morning she walked into the mess hall during the breakfast. Trinity had noticed her first: "Hey, you're not allowed to get up yet. " "Am I not allowed to eat also?" - was the only response, as Devil took her plate with the slop at sat down. "Aren't you going to ask where you are?" - Link sounded very surprised. "Aren't you going to tell me?"- Devil sounded surprised too, but Neo was sure she only mimicked Link. "Of course we are. - Morpheus answered instead of the Link, - Just after you finish your breakfast."  
  
Neo was a little bit amazed by how easy Devil accepted the truth. "Aren't you doubting? " - he asked her, after her first time in the Construct, where Morpheus gave her his traditional historical lecture. "Doubting? - she asked back, - No. There are only two possibilities: this is true or this is lie. If this is lie, then I'm having hallucinations or you had set it all up. I do not have hallucinations and I do trust you. What means all this is true. Case closed, no questions asked." Neo laughed: "Now I see how you convinced Morpheus. It's hard to deny your logic." " You don't need to deny my logic" - was the answer. Now the whole crew was laughing.  
  
Having Devil on the ship was a lot like having Mouse back. She looked so much innocent and sometimes asked really childish questions with serious face and vice versa. She had unique talent to be everywhere she was needed exactly when she was needed and to disappear when she was disturbing others. Also, to Morpheus' surprise, Devil became close friends with Trinity. Actually she became friends with everyone on board, but especially with Trinity, what surprised Morpheus as Trinity never was one to trust people easily. He tried to ask Neo about it but didn't get the answer, because Neo himself was confused. Despite this both were glad for Trinity and didn't even think about ruining this friendship. Although Morpheus was awfully close to it for one moment.  
  
He walked into the Core to check if everything was alright and saw Trinity unplugging Devil. Some disks lied on the table near them.  
  
"Well, well, - Morpheus said examining the disks. - Kung fu, motorcycle. How long are you doing this already?"  
  
"It's the third time, - Devil answered immediately. -Is something wrong?"  
  
"Wrong? - Morpheus asked ironically, -You are not supposed to do this."  
  
"You did load all this information to Neo." - Trinity said coldly.  
  
"Neo was different thing," - Morpheus answered.  
  
In that exact minute Neo walked into the room,: "Why was I? Because you believed me to be the One? I wasn't him then, and you know it perfectly well."  
  
Morpheus was about to answer sharply and to show who actually was in charge on this ship, when Devil told silently, "It's OK Neo. You don't have to confront him because of me. I don't want you two to get into trouble." She headed towards the door but was stopped by Morpheus' voice:" Is she good?" "Very."- was the immediate answer. Morpheus sighed heavily:" Fine. If you already started this. But not more than hour in the day, and you are not going into the Matrix. Is that clear?"  
  
"Yes"- three of them said in unison. "Thanks"- almost whispered Devil.  
  
That's when it started. Everyday trainings became tradition and Morpheus had to admit Devil was really good. Probably the best after Neo, Trinity and himself. She made her jump on the fifth time, when he himself made it on forth. Devil also was learning to read the Matrix code and Link confessed to Morpheus once, that he was almost afraid her to take his place as an operator. "It took me half an year to learn what she learned in two weeks," - he said once, not knowing how to sound: proud for his student or terrified.  
  
"Anyway, - decided Morpheus, - having Devil on the ship is anything but boring. It's like. having a devil on the ship." 


	3. Mystery

Imaginations from the other side  
Far out of nowhere it got back to my mind  
Blind Guardian "Imaginations from the other side"  
  
"Is it possible, Morpheus?" - Neo repeated.  
  
Captain of Nebuchadnezzar shook his head: "You know that it is not. It just can't be".  
  
"Yeah, just can't. - Neo paused. - Yet, this is happening. I don't know why or how, but this is happening. And this is not my imagination Morpheus."  
  
Morpheus didn't answer. Everything Neo said was impossible and yet it was true. He remembered his shock when Neo asked him, if the One could exist in the real world. He was shocked, yes, but instantly he understood, Neo wasn't talking about himself. He was talking about Devil.  
It took unbelievably short time for Devil to adapt to the life in Zion. Morpheus convinced himself, it was just because of her nature. She looked strange among other fighters: smiling girl always ready to laugh. But it wasn't the only thing that bothered Morpheus. Devil learned almost as quickly as Neo did, only that there were no programs loaded into her mind. No, of course she continued her trainings in the Construct, but Morpheus' prohibition left her too much spare time. It was still mystery to Morpheus how she managed to convince Link to teach her programming. It was against all rules. Morpheus learned about it the day before Nebuchadnezzar returned to Zion. And this was not very pleasant day for Link.  
  
"How. Damn, how could you? She had been unplugged for two weeks only! I can allow you teaching her to read the code, but programming. Do you have the slightest idea."- Morpheus was interrupted by opened door.  
  
"It was my fault, he didn't mean to."- Devil started.  
  
"Out. Now. I don't need any tears or sacrifices here. Out. Both of you."- Morpheus stated, dead sure, he never wanted to see this girl on his ship again. "I'm sorry"- he heard Devil murmuring before the door closed.  
  
May be she really was sorry, but that certainly didn't make her less curious. She wanted to know everything and surprisingly managed to remember everything she was told. When Nebuchadnezzar was to live Zion, Devil came to Morpheus apartments asking to take her with them.  
  
"No, - was the immediate answer. - No way."  
  
"But why? I'm good and you know that." - she could be quite stubborn, when she wanted. And she wanted it almost always.  
  
"Not good enough. Besides, it's an honor to be the member of Nebuchadnezzar's crew. You have to earn this honor. Let's say I'll think about this in a year. That's the standard period for people to learn everything they need to survive in Matrix." - Morpheus turned his head away from her, showing that the conversation was over.  
  
"And if I won't go into the Matrix? Please, Morpheus, I'm sure there is something I can do at the ship. Cooking, for example?"- if Neo or Trinity saw her at that moment, they would recognize that pleading look immediately. But Morpheus didn't know that.  
  
"Cooking? I doubt anything can make slop taste better. But I'll think about letting you to try." - she had won and they both knew that. Although there was no way Morpheus was admitting that.  
  
From that day Devil was going with Nebuchadnezzar to every mission, but she never entered the Matrix. Morpheus was strict about that. So was he about her trainings, they still lasted only hour per day.  
  
"Why don't you want to become an operator?" - Link once asked Devil, after her argue with Morpheus.  
  
"I can't. - she answered silently, what was very unlike her.- I just can't, Link. To sit here and to know that from my words depend their lives. And sometimes to know that there's nothing I can't do. I don't know how you do this, but for me this is too much."  
  
Ironically, but at the same time Trinity and Morpheus were discussing the same quarrel.  
  
" I can't help it Morpheus. It really looks like you want her to never enter the Matrix. There was never training restriction before. And that year time. What is that supposed to mean?" - Trinity stated her arms crossed.  
  
"That I want her to be ready. She want die because of my incompetence, because I wasn't able to notice the danger."  
  
Trinity understood why Morpheus used the past tense almost imminently: "They didn't die because of your incompetence, Morpheus. It was Cypher's fault not yours."  
  
"It doesn't matter now. But I'll do anything to prevent this from happening ever again." - Morpheus left not waiting for Trinity to answer.  
  
Devil was becoming unofficial member of Nebuchadnezzar crew. It turned out that there were many things on the ship that needed to be done. So Devil started to repair engines, assist Link in his work (still refusing to do it all by herself), heal rare wounds and soon became involved into ship life as deep as everybody else.  
  
It was like this until Morpheus refused to take her on the mission and ordered her to stay in Zion. The only explanation he gave was her presence on Nebuchadnezzar being unnecessary. Now after a few days it was evident that he was wrong. Tiny details, of which Devil was always taking care of, disturbed careless (as careless as it could be) life of Nebuchadnezzar crewmembers and Neo decided to count how many things on the ship worked thanks to Devil. Receiving the result he shook his head in disbelief and headed to the Morpheus cabin.  
  
"She has been freed for less than half an year, - Neo said, - but if to think about everything she is able to do, everything she knows. She is a lot like me, Morpheus. Only that I absorbed program knowledge and she learn everything in real life."  
  
" And?" - Morpheus raised his eyebrow.  
  
" Is this possible that the One can exist in the real world?" - Neo breathed out. 


	4. I Believe

Isn't that worth fighting for?  
Isn't that worth dying for?  
Morpheus "Matrix: Reloaded"  
  
Morpheus looked at Niobe going away with Lot until they totally disappeared in the crowd. Then his gaze started to wander around the hall. Suddenly he saw familiar figure leaned against the wall.  
  
"Nice to see you, - he said approaching her, - you didn't meet us in docking bay."  
  
"No. - Devil agreed. - I didn't."  
  
Morpheus paused for a while: " Are you."  
  
She was still staring at the opposite wall absent-mindly, " Upset? Yes. Furious? No."  
  
Morpheus smiled, " Will you ever let me finish my sentence?"  
  
Devil smiled back weakly, "Do I need to? - she paused - And sorry for not meeting you earlier. That was childish."  
  
Morpheus raised his eyebrow in disbelief: " You are apologizing? Even more, you are apologizing for acting childishly. Am I dreaming?"  
  
Devil laughed silently, " No, you're not. I'm just trying to convince you to take me to the next mission."  
  
Morpheus sighed, "I hate to say this, but - no. This is too dangerous."  
  
"Are you kidding, Morpheus? With quarter of million Sentinels approaching Nebuchadnezzar is far more safe than Zion."  
  
"Nothing will happen to Zion. - Morpheus said as calmly and convincible as he could. - I promised that to Zion and I promise that to you."  
  
"And what are you going to do? Let Neo use all his energy to re-program them? - Devil asked sarcastically, - Do you really think she can pull him out one more time without any consequences to herself? Damn, Morpheus."  
  
"Don't you believe we are able to . Wait a minute, what do you mean by "pull him out"?"  
  
Devil sounded strangely serious, "What do I mean? Well, you can that resurrection if you want. I mean that Neo is not immortal Morpheus. And you can't wait Trinity to keep death away from him forever."  
  
"You know about that? - then he suddenly remembered how much time Devil had spent with Trinity, - I mean, of course you know, if you are talking about this. It's just not for public."  
  
"I know, - she replied calmly, - Have you heard any rumors lately? In past four months or so?" There was quite a long pause and then Morpheus spoke again,:" You still didn't answer me. Do you believe we can win this war?"  
  
At the first time during all this conversation Devil looked straight into his eyes,: "I believe there are sacrifices that can not be made. I believe there are things that must exist never minding what. I believe goal does not always justify ways. I believe there is another way to do it."  
  
Morpheus was about to answer when one of the Councils approached them, " Have you seen Neo?"  
  
"Yeah, just a few moments ago. But I'm not sure you'll be able to find him in such a crowd easily," - Devil smirked, all her seriousness disappearing.  
  
" Well, thank you anyway." - Council looked at the dancing people and sighed heavily, while walking away.  
  
"Wait a minute", - Morpheus said thoughtfully. He was quite sure he saw Neo and Trinity leaving the hall right after his speech. Then something clicked in his mind. He remembered all these times he wanted to discuss some plans with Neo or Trinity and forgot about that. The reason of his distraction had always been Devil. She was hanging out near Neo's cabin or apartments and always had something to ask from Morpheus. Something that made him forget where was he going. Actually, now Morpheus was quite sure, he wasn't her only target. He could remember her talking with some Councils or Link in front of Neo's door. Yes, that explained a lot. Except one thing: how did she know her interruption was needed. Neo's recent words echoed in his mind, but once again he convinced himself that was impossible.  
  
" So, - Morpheus finally said, - how long are you already covering up for them?"  
  
"Long enough, - Devil smiled, - Took you a while to figure that out, didn't it?"  
  
"About Sentinels, - Morpheus continued, as if nothing had happened, - You are staying in Zion, and that is my last word. I really don't won't to lock you in your room."  
  
"Fine, - Devil said coldly and turned to leave, but paused, - I believe you will need all the help you can get. You can always count on me, Morpheus."  
  
No one knew, that later this day, sitting in comfortable armchair in the abandoned hotel in the Matrix, Morpheus was replaying this dialog in his head. He still believed what he always believed and he told others what he believed was right. But the words still echoed in his head. And later watching Trinity's heart stopping, first time in his life he questioned himself: "Is this really worth dying for?" 


	5. The Oracle

He was caught in the middle of a desperate fight  
And she couldn't find how to push through  
Groove Coverage "Moonlight Shadow"  
  
Morpheus silently left the medical bay, where Neo was still lying unconcionessly. It wasn't necessary to be quiet, as nothing could wake up Neo and Trinity, who was still sitting next to him, paid no more attention to the Morpheus than to the wall. Sighing heavily Morpheus headed towards the corridor to meet Niobe and the rest Logos' crew. News he had had for them weren't the most pleasant ones, but he wanted to be the one to tell them. Morpheus came to the ship exit just in time to see almost all Logos crew coming in.  
  
"Morpheus, what had happened?" - Niobe asked seeing his worried face.  
  
But before Morpheus could answer some kind of shadow appeared behind Niobe's back and whirled past him.  
  
"How on earth did she get here Niobe?" - asked Morpheus furiously, as he recognized the person, who was already at the other end of the corridor.  
  
"She can be quite persuasive, you know." - Niobe replied calmly as she followed Morpheus back to the med bay. The rest of the Logos crew was now listening to the captain of Hammer, thi ship that picked up Nebuchadnezzar crew after Sentinels attack.  
  
"Besides, - Niobe continued, - I had forbidden her to go into the Matrix, just like you always did."  
  
"Ship is safer than Zion?" - murmured Morpheus remembering recent discussion. Now it looked like she had a point. He noticed, that med bay door was slightly opened, what meant that Devil was already there. Well, it wasn't like she had other places to go to.  
  
"What happened to him?" - whispered Niobe, looking at unconscious Neo.  
  
"It seems like he had used too many energy, while stopping the Sentinels." - Morpheus replied silently.  
  
"Stopping the Sentinels? Do you mean he was able to fight them in real world?" - Niobe couldn't hide surprise and excitement in her voice.  
  
Morpheus raised his eyebrow, "You mean you didn't know?"  
  
"How could I? - Niobe asked back. - We lost signal from Nebuchadnezzar and contacted Hammer, as it was the only other ship in this area. All their operator told me was that you were here and wanted to see me."  
  
"Sure. It just looks like I can't think properly for some time already." - Morpheus replied, as one thought was circling around his brain: "How did she know then?"  
  
Devil sat near Trinity and embraced her protectively. "It's going to be OK. Everything is going to be OK." - she whispered.  
  
Trinity shook her head, " No, it's not. It was never meant to be OK. Never. And I just can't stand this anymore."  
  
"Of course you can. You cannot give up, - Somewhere far away Morpheus was saying something Sentinels' attack, but it didn't matter now. - Trinity I know, Trinity he knows, he loves is strong. She can't be broken. So you see, you can't give up. You just can't. Because he loves you, Trinity." Devil whispered passionately, not knowing she was almost repeating words Trinity once said to Neo. It was this memory that somehow gave Trinity strength.  
  
"There is still hope," - she said uncertainly.  
  
"There is always hope. - Devil assured her rising up. - I promise." She walked out of med bay accompanied by Morpheus and Niobe and head towards the Core.  
  
"What do you think you are doing?" - Morpheus asked once they got there.  
  
"Going into the Matrix, - Devil replied, preparing the equipment. - There is still hope."  
  
Morpheus looked at her interrogatively, " And what does this hope have to do with and with the Matrix?"  
  
"Oracle." - she said simply, finishing her preparations.  
  
"And why are you so sure, she is going to wait you eager to answer your questions?"  
  
" Because she has to. Remember, you said to me that every new crewmember had to visit the Oracle and to listen to the prophecy? She still owes me one."  
  
Morpheus shook his head in disbelief, "It's not that simple."  
  
"Let's try. - Devil offered looking straight into his eyes, - Let's try. What do we have to loose?"  
  
"Your lives?" - Niobe suggested.  
  
"What if you were right? - Devil continued. - What if everything really happens for a reason? What if I was wrong and you kept me away from the Matrix for a reason? The time had come."  
  
"Fine, - said Morpheus after a small pause. - But I'm going with you and you'll follow all my orders."  
  
Devil nodded and took her sit.  
  
"Load us up, Niobe"- Morpheus ordered as he plugged Devil in.  
  
Morpheus was almost surprised not to see so well known apartment abandoned, like it was when Neo searched for the Oracle. Oracle's apartments looked as always, the only difference was that there were no potentials sitting in common room. Not hesitating Devil walked into the kitchen, where the Oracle was sitting. Morpheus stayed in the corridor, not really sure what's going on.  
  
"Well, well. Come in. - Oracle said looking at the girl, - Devil, if I'm not mistaken?"  
  
"You're not. - Devil replied coldly. - And now I'm supposed to ask where do you know my name from. But you are not going to answer, are you?"  
  
"Smart girl. - Oracle smiled. - No I'm not."  
  
"Fine. - Devil nodded. - I suppose, you do already know why am I here?"  
  
"I do. - Oracle said. - But you are also supposed to know, that tell everyone only his fate, so."  
  
Devil shook her head:" No, you're not. You tell everyone what he wants to know most."  
  
"Are you sure?"- Oracle asked her a little bit ironically.  
  
"Yes, I'm. Morpheus was obsessed with the prophecy, Trinity felt lonely, Neo was told he was the One and I want to know how to wake up Neo. Simple."- Devil stated.  
  
"Simple? And why are you so sure I'm going to tell you the truth, even if I knew it?"- Oracle asked. "Because you are programmed this way."- was the answer.  
  
"Smart girl. - repeated the Oracle. - How did you know?»  
  
"It's oblivious. - Devil said. - Everyone says you've been with the Resistance since the very beginning, what makes about the century. Don't you think, you look quite good for your age?"  
  
Oracle laughed, " Very good, indeed. So, about your prophecy. In fact I had quite an interesting one for you. But if you insist on helping Neo."  
  
"I do." - Devil said sharply.  
  
"Then I guess I have no choice. - Oracle continued. - But don't wait me to tell me about your fate sometime after."  
  
"How can I help Neo?" - Devil interrupted her.  
  
" You can't. - said the Oracle flatly. - He has to do this himself. The problem is, that he doesn't want to wake up. The only thing you can do is to make him want to return to the real world. And crying "Agents!" won't help, believe me. He can still hear you, even though he doesn't want to and he somewhat like reads your thoughts. So be careful while lying to him, he will feel it."  
  
"He won't, believe me." - assumed her Devil turning to leave.  
  
"And I really had very unusual prophecy for you." - absent-mindly said Oracle behind her back. On they way back Devil ignored Morpheus curious looks and said nothing. Her talk with the Oracle replayed in her head, while she was trying to think out how to wake Neo up. When the plug was removed from her head and she opened her eyes, plan was ready. The only problem was that she had to believe absolutely in what she was going to do.  
  
"Hello, Neo - Devil said, as she approached the bed, he was lying in. - I've visited the Oracle and she said you can still hear me. So I decided to inform you, in case you are interested. Oracle said we could still win this war, even without your help. She said you had already done more than enough. She said, - Devil gulped, - she said, we could beat the machines if we are ready to sacrifice our lives. So I came to say "goodbye" to you Neo. Goodbye."  
  
She turned away and went towards the door, where Morpheus and Niobe waited. Neo didn't react at her speech, but Devil didn't wait him to.  
  
"Goodbye, Neo." - Trinity said silently, rising up and following Devil. But after two steps Neo gripped her hard holding her." Trinity, no." - he breathed out. 


	6. Coma

Now that I know what  
I'm without  
You can't just leave me  
Breathe into me and make me real  
Bring me to life  
Evanescence "Bring me to life"  
  
It was strange feeling. He could do everything and he was afraid to do anything at the same time. And it was cold, very cold. He started to run trying to get warm, but soon forgot where and why was he running. Then he stopped and looked around. It turned out, that "around" didn't exist. It scared him. But even more the strange feeling of recognition scared him. That had happened before, he was sure of it. But he couldn't remember. No matter how hard he tried.  
  
"My name is Thomas Anderson" - he said loudly. That sounded wrong. He was Thomas Anderson once, but them something happened. If only he could remember. But he couldn't. He felt, that someone was looking at him, but he couldn't see anyone. He started to run again trying to find the person he sensed, but unsuccessfully. Deep inside his soul he felt that everything would be normal again if only he could find that person.  
  
"Hello, mister Anderson." - the voice was cold and emotionless. It sounded strangely familiar. Not only the voice, but also the phrase. He turned to see who was speaking. The man was standing in front of him, wearing dark suit and sunglasses. "Why does he need sunglasses? - he thought. - There is no sun here."  
  
"There is no. There is no. no." - echoed in him mind. There is no what?  
  
"Hello, mister Anderson, - stranger repeated emotionlessly, - Don't you remember me? I killed you." He wasn't "mister Anderson" anymore, that was one thing he was sure of. "My name is." - he started. That sounded right, that sounded familiar. But he couldn't remember what was his name. He wanted to ask stranger about this and about his death. Strange, but he couldn't recall his death. But as he opened his mouth to speak, he noticed he was all alone again.  
  
"Welcome to the real world." - someone said behind his back. Man, who was Thomas Anderson once, turned to see the man in black leather suit standing in front of him. " Who am I?" - he asked, afraid that this ghost will also disappear.  
  
"You are the One," - was the answer.  
  
"No, - he shook his head, - I want to know my name."  
  
"Name doesn't matter." - said another voice, which belonged to the old man.  
  
"This is not true! - he shouted, - It matters to me. I want to know who am I!"  
  
"Do you want a cookie? - woman's voice suggested. - Or a candy?"  
  
"But remember, choice is only an illusion" - old man warned him.  
  
"Nothing is real." - the man in black leather agreed.  
  
"Stop it!!!" - he cried and started running again. He ran and ran and ran, until he suddenly found a peaceful place. There was still nothing around him, but that didn't bother him anymore. His mind was clear and he wasn't confused anymore. Then he could hear someone talking far away.  
  
" His condition seems to stabilize." - someone said.  
  
" Will he wake up?" - another voice asked.  
  
"I don't know. It depends on too many things. I'm sorry." - the first voice replied.  
  
"It's OK. I believe you did everything you could." - he recognized that voice. The man in the leather. Morpheus Right, his name was Morpheus. He remembered it now.  
  
" I hope you will wake up soon. - was Morpheus talking to him? - We need you, Neo. You can't leave know."  
  
Yes, certainly Morpheus was talking to him. "Neo" was his name, that was the one more thing he remembered now. But why did he need to come back? He felt so good in where he was right now. Why would Morpheus need him so much? Memory lazily gave him an answer: Sentinels. Oh, right. Sentinels were attacking Zion. "Well, even the One needs to rest sometimes. - Neo thought. - And I'm surely earned mine." He could feel that somewhere near he could find even more peace, but he couldn't access that place. It was like something was holding him, like someone's presence was not letting him go. But once again, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find out who was this. So, he just rested hearing silent voice somewhere far and worrying about nothing.  
  
Then one voice had reached his ears. Devil - memory told him. Neo listened to her speaking about the prophecy Oracle had made. They were all going to die, he thought flatly. Well, he was dead once, wasn't he? "Goodbye." - Devil said. "Goodbye" - he thought back, preparing to dive back into nothingness.  
  
"Goodbye, Neo" - another voice had reached him. And it hit him. Trinity. They were all going to die. She was going to die. He rushed towards her with only one thought in his head. "Trinity, no. - he breathed out as he grasped her hand tightly. - I won't let you die."  
  
The memories of that rooftop scene were bright inside his mind. Not again, please. For she was the only reason he was still alive. She had brought him to life, when Smith had killed him. And she didn't let him to slip into the death, while he was lying in coma, for how long? She couldn't die. "If you insist." - Trinity smiled looking into his eyes.  
  
~~*~~ A/N: Please! Somebody help me to correct my mistakes. I know I have a lot of them! Please. You'll receive the really big "thank you". 


	7. Only beginning

I am human and I need to be loved  
Just like everybody else does  
Soundtrack to "Charmed"  
  
"How did you know it will work" - Morpheus asked from Devil, when the amusement from Neo waking up went down. The crew of the Nebuchadnezzar and Niobe were sitting in the one of "Hammer" cabins. Neo just finished telling everyone his story but no one actually wanted to discuss it. So Morpheus tried to change the subject a little bit.  
  
"Just guessed." - Devil replied. She wasn't going to tell anyone how scared she really was. Although she was sure Neo would return to Trinity no matter what, she couldn't tell that to Trinity. Just one attempt was allowed - that was clear to her. And that meant, that everything had to be real. So she actually was ready to die, when she was saying "goodbye" to Neo. And she knew that so was Trinity. But others didn't have to know.  
  
"And what will happen to Zion now?" - Link asked turning to Neo. "What will happen to Zee? - His gaze asked. - You saved Trinity, but did you sacrifice Zee for this?"  
  
"I don't know. - Neo answered helplessly. - Sentinels are still on their way there. And we still have to find the way to stop them."  
  
"We have only seven hours left. - Niobe informed. - You'd better have a plan, Neo." "But I don't. - Neo admitted. - Morpheus?"  
  
Morpheus shook his head hopelessly. Link's gaze hardened. He didn't hate Neo for his decision yet, but he was awfully close to it. And not only he.  
  
Trinity looked at Neo, " You didn't have to do this for me. If I had to die, so that Zion could live. Then you had to let me die."  
  
For moment there was silence in the room. Neo didn't know what to say. How could he explain that he didn't think then? The Architect was wrong - he had no choice, because only one door existed for him. But how could he tell this?  
  
Then Devil jumped up from her chair. That was the first time Devil confronted her best friend, and it was hard enough for her. " Don't you understand? - she looked at Trinity with amazement.- He didn't choose between you and Zion. He chose what he believed in. And he believes in you. He believes in love, hope, trust. We all believe in this. Otherwise we wouldn't be here. - Devil looked into everyone's eyes. - Don't you see? That's what makes us humans. We listen to our heart, not to our mind. Do you really want to start it all over again? Or will you rather fight for what you believe in?"  
  
Devil sat down, her cheeks blushing. Morpheus smiled weakly, " You are right. I've waited for that moment to come all my life. And when it finally came, I couldn't recognize it. I'm ready to fight." "Me too. I'm becoming their slave again." - Niobe said looking at Neo.  
  
"Will you guys need the operator in your team?" - Link asked, trying to sound cheerful.  
  
Trinity just found Neo's hand and took into hers. But that was everything he needed to understand, what she wanted to say to him.  
  
" But I still don't have the slightest idea of what to do. - Neo admitted. - I'm the One only in the Matrix, and Sentinels exist in the real world."  
  
"Remember what Architect offered you? - Devil asked. - What would happen if you joined the Source?"  
  
" The Matrix would be restarted. - Neo began uncertainly. - I'd be able to choose people to rebuild Zion. And then another One would. Wait a minute! He said that I'd be able to save Zion citizens. That means that he was going to stop the Sentinels! Yes, that's it. If he can do this."  
  
"Then you can do this also!" - Morpheus continued excitedly.  
  
"So, where will we start from?" - Niobe asked standing up.  
  
"I think the building I met him. Then I'll try to identify its code. - Neo said. - But there is no "we". I'm going alone."  
  
"No, you're not. - Trinity stated, standing up also and heading towards a door. - Do you really think your suicide will help Zion?"  
  
Morpheus had to try very hard not to smile. He recognized familial steel notes in Trinity's voice and knew that Neo had already lost this fight. It looked that Neo understood that too, as he sighed heavily and nodded, " Fine. But you all follow my orders."  
  
"OK." - Devil agreed getting up.  
  
Morpheus was about to declare " You are not coming." to her, but looked at her face expression and changed his mind. Devil must have seen the change of his face expression, as she smiled to him before walking out of the room.  
  
"You know, I really didn't have a choice." - Neo whispered to Trinity, while they were walking into a Core.  
  
Trinity nodded, - "It's not like I had it either. When I broke the promise I gave to you. Will you forgive me?"  
  
"Mmm. Let's think. - Neo smiled. - Yeah, I guess I already did."  
  
Niobe, who was walking just behind them, smiled listening to their conversation. Her past wasn't coming back. She knew that perfectly well. But these two had all their lives ahead. Niobe couldn't tell if she felt more jealous or happy for them. "What we believe in, - she thought. - I used to believe in many things."  
  
"Some things never change" - Morpheus whispered to her, as if reading her mind.  
~~*~~  
  
A/N: Everything that is to happen is not connected with "Realoded" in any way possible. I haven't even seen it yet. ( So there will be no spoilers and no familiar scences.  
  
Many thanks to Carmel March ! At least one person likes what I'm doing. Thank you for your support. 


	8. Actions

I still remember the world  
  
From the eyes of a child  
  
-Evanescense "Fields of Innocence"  
  
"We're in." Morpheus said and closed his cell phone. All five of them were standing in front of a so familiar building. The Sun was still rising but it was already light enough to notice the state of the street they were in. Obviously, Neo's last flight couldn't stay unnoticed for long.  
  
"Interesting, how are they going to cover this up?" Niobe asked, looking at the mess around . "Let's hope they won't need to." Neo answered, heading straight towards the entrance of the building.  
  
"So, what are we looking for?" Niobe asked as they followed Neo upstairs.  
  
"Back doors," Neo answered not turning his head, "Any abnormalities in a code. Anything that will lead us towards the Architect."  
  
"What automatically makes you the one in charge?" Devil noticed, "We can't read the code from inside the Matrix and I doubt Link will notice anything smaller than the Statue of Liberty."  
  
Morpheus grinned, "You are lucky he can't hear you."  
  
"I know," Devil nodded seriously, "That's exactly why I'm telling you this."  
  
Everyone laughed. Finally they had reached the door Keymaster had used as the entrance towards the Architect's floor. Neo took his sunglasses off in attempt to make his vision more clear.  
  
"The code," He said to himself, "Concentrate on the code."  
  
Green symbols flashed in front of his eyes, unwilling to reveal their secret.  
  
"It's strange," Devil suddenly said from behind him, "We are inside the Matrix that doesn't exist. I mean it is a program and it had to run until the certain point. Everything that is happening now wasn't meant to happen."  
  
"The Matrix wasn't meant to happen at all." Morpheus replied a little bit sharply, earning the disapproving look from Trinity, who even took her eyes off of Neo for that.  
  
"No, Morpheus. She is right," Neo said quietly, "This should not be happening. Which means."  
  
Neo opened the door and smiled slightly when the white corridor appeared at the other side of it. He could almost sense the Architect somewhere near. But at the same moment some inner sense was telling him that everything wasn't going to be that easy.  
  
"Not that it was easy before," he thought, "But it doesn't make the future any lighter."  
  
Neo opened his cell phone only to discover that it didn't work. Well, considering they were in an area that didn't exist, and of a program that didn't exist either, that was quite normal.  
  
"Any ideas of what to expect?" Trinity asked, following Neo down the corridor.  
  
"Definitely not Smith," He answered, "He and the Matrix don't seem to get along well right now. I doubt he will manage to get in here again. But there are still other agents, so be careful."  
  
"We are always careful. You better worry about something else." Morpheus cut off. Neo's look was clearly saying, "Yeah, sure. I remember how you take care of yourself." Fortunately, no one except Trinity saw the look, and she definitely wasn't going to pass this message to Morpheus.  
  
Neo couldn't tell how long it had been until he stopped in front of the required door. But despite his expectations, there was no white room or Architect behind it. Instead, the door lead into another corridor, this time a stone one.  
  
"Looks like medieval castle." He heard Devil murmuring as she closed the door after herself and followed others. Neo could help but agree with her. It really looked like medieval castle, save the strong feeling of the Architect's presence. His thoughts were interrupted by gunshot. Neo cursed under his breath, as he noticed they weren't in the passageway anymore. Instead, they were standing practically in the center of the hall and no less than ten snipers were aiming at them.  
  
"GO!" Morpheus pushed Neo towards the exit of the hall; "I'll handle them while you find the Architect."  
  
Neo was about to notice it was easier for him than for Morpheus to evade bullets, but didn't have a chance as Trinity pulled him towards the door. After a short hesitation, Devil followed them. Niobe stayed near Morpheus, who was too busy with bullets to send her away.  
  
"There will be more of them, Neo." Devil promised, when the three of them were almost sprinting down the passageway.  
  
"Thanks. I feel so much more relieved now." Neo said ironically. Devil caught Trinity's gaze and didn't make an attempt to reply.  
  
There were more. Not long after the first one, another hall appeared on their way. Not less than ten agents were waiting for them near the opposite door. Neo prepared for the fight, when Trinity shook her head.  
  
"Don't even think about this. He is close, isn't he?" And not waiting for Neo to answer she continued, "We'll deal with them. You need to go and save the world."  
  
"I hate it." Neo thought leaving the hallway behind. Yes, the Architect was really near. The problem was that Neo had no idea of what to do when he would finally meet him. "Stop the Sentinels." That would be easy to say.  
  
Devil allowed her body to do whatever it wanted to do. Right now, it wanted to fight the agents and she had nothing against it. Devil was looking at the fight like she wasn't involved. In fact, she felt calm.  
  
"Ten more minutes," She thought as though she didn't give a care, "Fifteen maybe. And they would win. Well, it's been long enough already."  
  
Trinity and Devil carefully stepped back to the door Neo had gone into. The second break and hopeless fight was to start again, soon. Both of them knew that perfectly well; that this fight could not be won. It was all about buying time, nothing more. At that very moment, something completely unexpected happened. It was something that made both Devil and Trinity fall onto their knees and gasp for air.  
  
"Neo!" Devil could read in Trinity's eyes.  
  
"Go." Devil managed to whisper, standing up. "GO!" Her eyes shouted, "GO! I'll be fine. He needs you."  
  
Trinity couldn't understand where the strength to get up came from, but she didn't have much time to wonder as she started running down the passageway. Her body cried in pain, but her mind ignored it. Actually, her mind ignored everything around her, concentrated on the one and only goal. Neo.  
  
Devil leaned against the wall. Time. She had to buy enough time. She remembered the phrase Morpheus liked to repeat. Everyone who confronted an agent died. Death then? She suddenly realized she wasn't afraid of death as much as she expected herself to be. Maybe it was because Morpheus always told her that life of the One is more precious than the life of everyone else. Did she start to believe this? Hardly. Or was this childish faith in happy endings? She always knew that everything was to be fine. Would she refuse to give up hope?  
  
"Everything is going to be fine." She whispered, as many agents started to attack. 


	9. Results

"I've decided to make a few changes."  
Neo "The Matrix"(draft scenario)  
  
Green light filled the world. She was falling somewhere, unable to move, to cry or even to breath. Then, for a moment, light flashed and she saw someone's face. A man was looking at her with disbelief and . recognition?  
  
"I told you." The Oracle's voice was heard somewhere faraway. Then light flashed once more and she felt familiar metal plug in her head. She was back on the Nebuchadnezzar. Devil removed the plug from her head and looked around. She was back and that could mean only one thing: the Architect had lost.  
  
"What the hell is going on here?" Link exclaimed looking at the monitors. It seemed that the Matrix code was going absolutely crazy. Many symbols were spinning around, filling the whole monitor for a second and then disappearing completely only to form another strange shape.  
  
"Believe me, Hell is organized a lot better than this." Devil said approaching Link and taking a look at the monitors. Her whole body ached and she preferred not to think about recent events.  
  
"Should've remembered that there is no word "normal" for Neo." She thought to herself, remembering the way he pulled her out of the Matrix.  
  
"Relax, Link." That was Neo, already standing near the operator, Trinity by his side. In a moment, Morpheus and Niobe joined them and now all six of them were watching the monitors. And only two understood what was really happening.  
  
"Relax?" Link asked sarcastically, "Well, what about a little explanation first?"  
  
"It will stop in a minute or two," Neo continued, "Just needs a little time to update its files."  
  
"To update files?" Morpheus raised his eyebrow.  
  
Neo turned to him, "Well, it looked like seven million people is a little bit too much to free instantly. So the Matrix received some new orders."  
  
"Like what?" Asked Niobe curiously and a bit mistrustfully.  
  
"Like deleting all agents and stopping to send energy to the machines," Neo smiled mischievously, "They can't shut it down and they can't use humans as batteries any more. All we have to do now is to find people that are ready to be freed. It shouldn't be really hard without the agents."  
  
"And what about Sentinels?" Morpheus asked, looking concerned.  
  
"Destroyed," Neo said as if it was the most obvious thing, "Not only the ones attacking Zion, but all of them."  
  
"And they will have a hard enough time trying to build new without the energy." Morpheus nodded.  
  
"It sounds like the end of war." Niobe said doubtfully.  
  
Trinity, who was keeping silence until that moment, sighed heavily, " Unfortunately, it's just a break, Niobe."  
  
Looking at all the surprised faces, Neo turned to explain, "I told you the Matrix could not be destroyed yet. It would mean death of too many people; those who are not ready to accept the truth, those who would not be able to find their place in this world. Many people. But the Architect can't be destroyed unless the Matrix itself is."  
  
"Why?" Morpheus interrupted, "I can imagine the catastrophe that would happen should all people be freed at once, but what does the Architect have to do with the destruction of the Matrix?"  
  
"Actually," Neo paused, "The Architect is the Matrix."  
  
"Umm, Neo? Are you sure this is possible?" Link managed to ask.  
  
"Yeah," Neo answered, "I'm sure he was just the program once, but he had more than enough time to improve himself. He was originally designed to keep all people under control. That's how he invented the Matrix. But it looks like he took his task too seriously. And in any time now, the program named "Architect" and the program named "Matrix" became the one. I'm dead sure that in no more than a year we will hear about the Architect once again."  
  
"But you killed him." Morpheus stated, confused.  
  
Neo smirked, "Have you ever heard of reserve copies? Or backup files?"  
  
"OK," Morpheus said, "But will you mind if I ask you to explain that very unpleasant feeling I had not long before you pulled us out?"  
  
"Pulled us out without the exit." Niobe noticed.  
  
"That was the Architect's way to say 'Hello!' to me," Neo admitted, "It was not so easy to change something done by the Matrix itself, you know. And about the exit. I guess it was the bonus for defeating Architect."  
  
"So no more agents or Sentinels? " Link asked, just to be sure.  
  
Neo smiled. "For the whole year. And, well, I'm not sure about Smith, he was unplugged, but I think he won't be such a problem."  
  
Devil noticed Neo never used "I" or "we" while he talked about the Architect. Apparently he and Trinity weren't eager to tell others about Trinity's role in this whole thing. Well, Devil sure enough wasn't going to be the one to start crying about this. If they wanted to keep that in secret, they had this right. What bothered her the most now though, were the Oracle's words.  
  
"I told you."  
  
Told whom? Told what? Devil was quite sure that man she saw was the Architect. But why would Oracle and Architect talk about her?  
  
"I'm just the usual girl. I've nothing to do with saving the world. Nothing." She told to herself firmly.  
  
Meanwhile Matrix code returned back to normal and Link immediately scanned it to see what programs had survived.  
  
"Merovingian, his lovely wife," He murmured softly, "Smith, damn him, and the Oracle, of course. Wait a minute! It looks you are invited to the party. The Oracle wants to see you. All five of you."  
  
"When?" Morpheus asked.  
  
"Immediately." Link answered.  
  
"Great," Neo said, "I have some questions to ask her also."  
  
"Umm, Neo?" Niobe said hesitating a little bit, "I hope you remember, you are not on Nebuchadnezzar right now. What about telling the captain where we are going?"  
  
"I suppose he has other thing to care about, "Neo answered moving towards his chair, "He knew we were going in. He wouldn't be here if he wasn't interested."  
  
There was a long pause while they prepared for entering the Matrix.  
  
Then all of a sudden Devil asked, " But who created the Architect himself?"  
  
The world flashed and disappeared. 


	10. Conversation

Tell them the truth, tell them only the truth, but never tell them the whole truth.  
  
If anyone had heard Devil's question, he never said. They made all their way to the Oracle in silence. Everyone was lost in his own thoughts, unwilling to talk with the others. As far as Devil could tell their thoughts were as unpleasant as her own. "The Oracle had lied." That was written on their faces. That was written on her own face, yet somewhere deep inside her soul another thought existed. "Something is wrong." Something was definitely wrong. She could feel it. Devil imagined telling that to Morpheus and decided to remain silent. For now Neo was the only one allowed to present captain with crazy ideas.  
  
Oracle was waiting for them in the living room, what was already unusual. Morpheus had always told, that everyone was meeting Oracle in the kitchen. That was the tradition.  
  
"Then again, the kitchen may be just too small for all of us." Devil said to herself. "Who cares anyway? This is not happening." She was lying. She cared for this and cared deeply. Because something was wrong.  
  
"I'm glad you made it, Neo." The Oracle finally said, after quite a long pause.  
  
"I'm sure you are." Neo answered sarcastically. "Sending me to death you didn't actually want me to die, didn't you."  
  
"Oh, no." The Oracle shook her head. "You were not supposed to die. You are too important for this. Let me tell you one secret. The Matrix won't allow you to die. This is how it is programmed."  
  
" It looked like Smith was more than willing to kill me. And." - Neo started.  
  
"Damn it." Devil suddenly said loudly. " That's why!"  
  
"That's why what?" Neo asked curiously.  
  
"That's why he was unplugged, of course." Devil stated. "I just couldn't figure it out. You said he was unplugged right after your resurrection. But there was absolutely no reason for this. It couldn't be about his death. You were the One and he was not supposed to beat you. It was about YOUR death. He had no right to kill you." Devil caught her breath.  
  
"Well, I must admit I'm impressed." Oracle said looking at Devil. " Not really surprised, but still impressed. Yes, that's what happened, although it doesn't matter now." She turned to Neo. " I believe you had something else to say?"  
  
"Yes." He answered coldly. " I'm not quite sure about the others, but I believe "returning to the Source" to be death."  
  
"And you are wrong." Oracle sounded almost sad. " It is not death, it is exactly what it is called. Returning to the Source. Returning your powers to the Source, if you like it more that way. You should have listened more carefully, Neo. No one was talking about your death."  
  
"I listened carefully enough. You as good as did." It didn't look like the Oracle had succeeded in convincing him.  
  
Oracle raised her eyebrow in disbelief. "I don't really think so. But enough. That is not what I wanted to talk about."  
  
"And what did you want to talk about? Another fake prophesy?" Morpheus spoke for the first time since they entered the Matrix.  
  
Oracle smiled. " Who said the prophecy was fake? Zion is safe, isn't it? And believe me, if Neo would do what he was meant to do."  
  
"Everything would start all over again." Neo interrupted.  
  
Oracle continued to smile. " Are you sure? How can you know if you changed anything? But as I said, enough of that. We don't have much time." Her face turned serious. "You did good work recently. But there is still much to be done. In the real world this time. You see, you messed everything up and events in the Matrix influenced the real world. In fact, the Matrix and the real world are the same. So, it's my duty to warn you."  
  
"To warn us?" Neo asked unbelievingly. " You already had. Never trust the Oracle."  
  
"Oh, no. Do not start it all over again, please." The Oracle sighed. "If it will help you, I'm not programmed to lie. I just can't do that. And all I want is just to warn you. All of you, but especially you Neo. Your life is in danger."  
  
"And why would you care?" Neo asked sharply. " Excuse me, but I don't believe in you liking me so much that you are trying to save my life. Not after what happened."  
  
"Well, I indeed do like you. But if you want other reasons." Oracle tried to look into Neo's eyes, but he was still wearing sunglasses. "Let's say the Matrix still wants to use you. I, for example, do still hope that you will return to the Source by your own will. Anyway you are much useful to the Matrix alive than dead. Will you listen to me now?"  
  
"Speak." Morpheus said. It was oblivious, that he disliked that conversation. He believed in the Oracle and prophecy as long as he could remember. It was hard enough just to think about Oracle's betrayal, not to mention listening to her justification.  
  
"The Matrix wants you alive Neo." Oracle continued. " But there is someone who wants you dead."  
  
"Smith." Neo said.  
  
Oracle nodded. " Smith. He doesn't obey the Matrix anymore. More than that, he was able to send his copy to the real world. You don't notice him, but he is near you, Neo. He is very close to achieving his goal. You have to be careful."  
  
"Impossible." Morpheus said. "How can the machine be close to Neo and stay unnoticed?"  
  
"Who said anything about the machine?" Oracle corrected.  
  
"But then. human?" Neo asked in disbelief. " Smith couldn't copy himself into human and leave the Matrix. This is not possible."  
  
"But that's exactly what he did." Oracle paused for a moment. " I must admit, he never really cared about rules. Even before he was unplugged. Well, that was it. Any questions?"  
  
Neo shook his head, " Somehow I don't believe I'll get any answers."  
  
Others remained silent. Devil felt like having hundreds of questions. "What's going on?" "Who am I?" "Why everything feels so wrong?" She wasn't going to ask any of them though. Not the Oracle, not anyone else. Not long after she was freed, she was told that before unplugging everyone had to prove he was ready for this. The Question had to be asked. "What is the Matrix?" She never asked that question.  
  
Just before answering the ringing phone and exiting the Matrix Devil understood that she still got her answers. "The Matrix and the real world are the one." Oracle had said. That was it. That had to be it. 


	11. Wrong

"Close to me?" Neo repeated. "Who is near me and is trying to kill me?"  
  
"Well, it has to be someone, who was in the Matrix recently." Trinity noticed. "And who was there alone, so that no one noticed him becoming Smith."  
  
"It's if we can trust Oracle." Morpheus said. "And I must say I start to doubt in her after all this."  
  
"We can believe in what she says, Morpheus." Devil answered. "She is playing her own game, but she can't lie to us directly."  
  
"And as Matrix needs me alive, she is interested in saving my life." Neo continued. "What brings us back to the first question. Whom do I have to fear?"  
  
Silence was the answer to him. And in this silence fast footsteps were heard clearly. Roland, the captain of "Hammer" entered the Core.  
  
"I believe, you've finished your extra-important Matrix trips?" He asked rather harshly. " If you still remember, we have to help Zion."  
  
"Zion is safe." Neo answered. "Sentinels were stopped. Actually, there is no active Sentinel on the whole Earth at this moment."  
  
"And you wait me to believe in this nonsense?" Roland laughed sarcastically. "Morpheus is the one, who believes in nonsense like this. I need proves."  
  
"Scan the surroundings." Trinity offered. "And tell if you find at least one active Sentinel."  
  
"And then what?" Roland asked, still not believing. " I'll see they all are on they way to Zion right now?"  
  
"They are not." Neo said patiently. "You have to believe us."  
  
"Besides, what proves do you want exactly? We are too far to contact Zion." Morpheus added and, after Roland answered nothing, continued. "Neo is right, you have to believe us."  
  
"And if I do? Shall I obey your orders as well?" There was sarcasm in Roland's voice now. "Bet you'd like that."  
  
"Me too." Link mumbled to himself, typing something furiously. Then he called loudly, " The results of the scan. The only thing we have to offer you, beside our word."  
  
Roland studied monitors carefully. "Fine." He said at last. "Let's say all this missing sentinels are really out. What are you going to do now? I'd recommend returning to Zion. We have the man in coma on board, in case you've forgotten."  
  
"Oh, yes. Bane." Morpheus had actually forgotten.  
  
"Bane?" Neo repeated. "The one that delivered the message from the Oracle?"  
  
"Yes, him." Morpheus confirmed. "Lock sent ships to counterattack machines. But someone triggered the EMP too early. Bane was the only one that had survived."  
  
Neo raised his eyebrow in disbelief. " Survived when machines were send to destroy all people? Impossible. If only."He paused. "Yes, that's it. Morpheus, remember when Smith waited for us on our way to the Architect? " Morpheus nodded silently and Neo continued. " How could he now we were to come? If only he hadn't seen it before. Then he could now what the meeting with Oracle meant." He paused again, giving others time to understand. "And he obliviously knew I was meeting the Oracle. Now the question. How did he know?"  
  
"Do you want to say." Morpheus started.  
  
"Oh, yes. I believe, that's exactly what he wants to say." The voice from the door stated. " I'm pleased to meet you once again, Mr. Anderson." Bane was standing in the doorframe, completely conscious and not at all looking as dying man again. His voice was unfamiliar, but his intonation was immediately recognized by everyone but Devil.  
  
"Smith." Neo breathed out.  
  
"Mr. Anderson." Bane repeated. "I'd stay and chat with you, but unfortunately I have more important business at the moment." And he disappeared into the darkness of corridor.  
  
By the time they followed him, he was nowhere to be seen already. "He said he had orders from you." One of the Logos' crewmembers said eventually. "So I let him out of the ship. Is something wrong?"  
  
"No. Everything is just fine." Niobe tried to stay calm. "You may go."  
  
"He wants me to follow him." Neo said.  
  
"And will we do that? " Trinity asked.  
  
"Yes, I will. I need to finish it. And the sooner the better." Neo answered heading towards the ship exit and ignoring her "we" completely.  
  
"Fine." Trinity replied. "Any ideas from where should we start?"  
  
" "We" are not starting from anywhere. I'm going alone." Neo stated and turned to leave.  
  
Trinity sent Morpheus a meaningful look, asking for support. Morpheus sighed quietly. He hated to argue with Neo, since he was the One. "We are all going, Neo." He said at last. "This way we have more chances to find Bane, I mean Smith."  
  
"But." Neo started, wanting to say it was too dangerous.  
  
Morpheus didn't let him finish. "I'm still your captain Neo. And this is the order."  
  
"Yes, sir." Neo sighed heavily. He hated to argue with Morpheus, since he was his superior.  
  
Quickly Morpheus started to give orders. He decided to take the whole "Logos" crew with them, and was leaving only the half of "Hammer" crew at the ship. "We will have more chances to find him, if we'll split up." He explained to Neo. "And it will be hard for him to get into the ship." Roland was still skeptical about the idea of Bane being Smith. Nevertheless he found Bane's actions quite strange and was determined to find him. Actually they had the biggest problem with Devil.  
  
"I said: You. Are. Not. Coming." Morpheus repeated trying to stay calm. He nodded to the two "Hammer" crewmembers and they immediately took their positions near Devil.  
  
"Morpheus, this is not fair!" She had to remind herself that is was not good idea to shout at her captain. Although that was exactly what she wanted to do.  
  
"I know. But life is never fair." And he left the ship. Others where already waiting for him outside.  
  
"Good luck." Devil whispered as she was escorted back to the Core. Her new "bodyguards" seemed to take their task too close to the heart. Well, at least they didn't know, that she was not allowed to write Construct- programs yet.  
  
Devil found it hard to concentrate on the screen in front of her. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. She stood up quickly and headed out of the Core ignoring her "bodyguards".  
  
"Hey!" One of them blocked her way. "Where do you think your going? You've heard what Morpheus said."  
  
"Did he mean bathroom by this?" She answered sarcastically, wishing they would buy it. "Or may be you want to go there with me? Just to be sure."  
  
That worked. Her way was clear, as the man stepped aside blushing. Devil walked slowly across the corridor, until she was out of everyone's sight. Then she started to run. It took her three minutes to open the ship door. "Damn this access codes." She thought angrily as she closed the door behind her. "I don't have much time." She couldn't explain where did she know it from. Nether could she explain where was she running now. She just knew it. And she knew she had to hurry.  
  
~~*~~  
  
A/N: Well, I know it was a long time, since the last time I've updated it. Technical problems, sorry. But I've finally decided to review my reviews. Um, sounds strange, but anyway. (  
  
To Carmel March: THANKS! What would I do without you?  
  
To Lee Jun-Fan: Sorry, I thought it was easy to figure out when is this happening. Well, first three chapters take place after the Matrix, but before Reloaded. Forth one is happening during the party in Reloaded. And fifth starts almost right after the end of the Reloaded. I've finally watched Revolutions, but do not try to find any spoilers. Just pretend it never happened.  
  
And I've checked. The ship that picked up Morpheus's crew was called "Hammer". But captain's name was really Roland, thanks for that.  
  
And Neo didn't know there would be the year of peace. He only knew that machines needed time to recover from what was done to the Matrix. He suggested it'd take about the year to do that.  
  
To wh1te rabb1t 01: One word: done. 


	12. Stranger

Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies  
  
Aristotle  
  
Neo was running down some kind of cave, Trinity alongside him. Down and down to the center of the Earth." He thought to himself. Just a few minutes after the "search group" had split up, Neo understood that he knew were Smith was going to. Just like he was able to feel him in the Matrix. So now two of them were running after Smith, who was probably leading them into the trap. Not the best plan possible, but Neo couldn't think out anything else at the moment. Letting Smith to wander around wasn't really the option for Neo.  
  
After some time Neo felt, that Smith had stopped. "A trap." - He thought to himself. - " But is in real world for the first time. He didn't have enough time to setup the trap. Doesn't make sense." But then again, when did anything about this life make sense?  
  
Soon enough Neo actually saw Smith. He was standing in few hundred meters from them, at the other end of the cave, they've just entered. The cave itself reminded Neo of the Temple in Zion, only that the Temple didn't have lava-lake in the middle of it. Bane-Smith was standing near the opposite exit, looking as if he was waiting for something.  
  
" He is up to something." Neo said, not really sure what did he exactly mean by this. " And when Smith is up to something it is not safe."  
  
"Do we have choice?" Trinity asked raising her eyebrow.  
  
"Not really." Neo answered, heading towards Smith.  
  
There were about fifty steps left between them, when Smith suddenly smiled. "I'll miss you, Mr. Anderson." And he went out of the cave. Before Neo could make another step, rocks behind Smith's back started to fall, blocking the way, making it impossible to follow him  
  
"Well, well, well. " Someone said behind Neo's back. " Only look what do we have here."  
  
Neo and Trinity turned at once, to see the man standing not far from them. "The One himself." Man continued. He could be called beautiful, but there was something unpleasant about him. His skin was pale, his hair dark and long and his eyes were as dark that it was impossible to tell their color. But the most confusing thing about him were wings behind his back. Broken, but still wings.  
  
"Who are you?" Neo managed to ask.  
  
"Does it matter?" Winged man asked ironically. "You are going to die very soon. You don't need to know who am I or how to call me."  
  
"You are not human." Trinity stated, her voice a little more quiet than usual.  
  
"No, I'm not. " Stranger nodded. " But it's not like you are the usual people yourself, are you?" For a moment there silence fell upon the cave. Then man continued. "You see I came here to kill you. Both of you. But now, when I'm thinking about this. Yes, it will be a lot funnier to give you a choice. You can both die. Or one of you can kill another one. I think, I will enjoy this even more. "  
  
Neo felt how Trinity reluctantly moved closer to him and caught his hand in hers. "Let her go." Neo was almost pleading. "She has nothing to do with this."  
  
"Wrong you are." Stranger smiled. "She has everything to do with this. Well, while you are thinking I can to tell you the fairy-tale. Some people call it legend." He paused, giving them time to interrupt him. But nether of them did. They knew, that they had no choice but to listen. The man was staying right between them and the only exit, and somehow they both felt that their weapon couldn't hurt him. So, they listened and waited. " Very well then. This legend was well known to the ancient people already. It is said that once winged people lived on the Earth. They were complete and because of that - perfect. Nothing was impossible to them and they possessed strength world had never seen. But Gods became jealous of their happiness and each person was divided at two. Every one had only one wing now and they couldn't fly anymore. All they power and happiness were gone. People dedicated their lives to searching for their counter-parts, but only a few succeeded." Stranger looked at Neo and Trinity for the moment and then continued. "For a long time I thought all of them were dead. Because when they lost their hope, they lost their remaining wing. But I was wrong. I'll have an honor of killing the last two."  
  
"You want to say." Neo started completely confused.  
  
"Yes." The man confirmed. " You two did succeed in finding your counter- parts. It's even a pity it has to end that soon. You are curious creatures. For example, you had to twist the laws of love. Instead of "I'll die when you die" you had to invent "You'll live until I live". Curious, isn't it?" He smiled once again. "So? Do you have the answer?"  
  
They didn't and he knew it perfectly well. Killing each other was out of discussion. Dying together. No matter what they weren't suicidal. And so they kept silence waiting for something to happen. And something happened.  
  
"Leave them alone." Voice echoed from the walls.  
  
"Sorry? " Stranger waved his hand in Neo and Trinity's direction and turned to the exit. Both Neo and Trinity felt they couldn't move a finger, what didn't prevent them from seeing whom the voice belonged to. Devil.  
  
"Sorry, what did you say?" Stranger asked one more time.  
  
"Leave. Them. Alone." Devil repeated moving towards him. Her hair was a mess, she breathed heavily but her voice was confident and her face expression - unreadable.  
  
"Are you ordering me? " Stranger laughed and waved his hand once more. Devil was pushed by some invisible force and sent to the flight. The loud splash confirmed that she landed into the lava-lake.  
  
"So, where were we?" Man asked turning his attention back to Neo and Trinity. "Oh, yes. Your death. I think you had enough time to decide. What will it be then? "  
  
Strangely familiar voice answered him instead. " I said: leave them alone. Or it will be your death, Azrail." 


	13. Transformation

I'm inside your open eyes  
I'm you  
Metallica "Sad but true"  
  
It couldn't be, but it was happening. Devil was standing near the lava- lake, waiting for the answer. Yet, she was not the Devil Neo and Trinity knew. Her hair reached her hips now, just like in the Matrix. Her skin seemed to be red, or was it just the illusion? But no illusion could explain two small horns visible in her hair and a long tail. She looked like the real devil now. Something Azrail didn't seem to be surprised about.  
  
"Are you so sure of that? I do not have intension to die anytime soon." He smiled widely.  
  
"Like if I cared." Devil answered coldly moving slowly towards him. " You are leaving now or you are dying. What will it be?"  
  
Azrail shook his head. "You are not in the position to order. In fact, you should be begging me to keep you alive." He paused and then added, as if remembering something. "Oh, and what would you do with your victory anyway? Do you really think they'll accept as the one them? Even if they will be able to forget about your appearance. I doubt it."  
  
"This is my problem." Devil's voice was as emotionless as before and her face expression never changed. "If I were you, I'd worry about myself."  
  
"You really should do that." As soon as this words escaped his mouth Azrail covered the space between them in one jump and hit Devil in her face. At least, tried to hit. Just the moment before she made a step to the left and moved behind his back. For Neo and Trinity it looked like the two were almost dancing. They moved around each other, too quick to receive a hit or to allow others to understand what's going on. It lasted for about seven minutes and then the crack in the earth appeared near them.  
  
"Everything that falls there disappears forever." Azrail informed. "And you are the one to fall there." Devil really was too close to the crack. "Gladly." She whispered. "But only if you come along." That was something Azrail was not prepared for. Devil grabbed his hand and jumped into the abyss, taking Azrail with her.  
  
Neo felt that he could move again and immediately heard two voices calling "Devil". His voice and Trinity's. For awfully long second nothing happened, then there was the burst of flames at the abyss edge. When flames disappeared, Devil could be seen. She got up from her knees and smiled weakly. "Remind me never to do this again."  
  
"Um. Fine." Neo managed to say. "By the way, care to explain what was this all about?"  
  
"This is the long story." Devil sighed. "I'm not sure if." She stopped in the middle of the sentence and turned her head. "Morpheus, Niobe. Nice to see you. "  
  
Only now Neo noticed his captain and Niobe coming to them. "Morpheus, Niobe." What was he supposed to say? "Some winged guy wanted to kill us but Devil turned into the devil and saved us?" Bullshit. Trinity seemed to have the same problem as she greeted the captains and became silent.  
  
Morpheus stared at Devil for some time and then demanded "Didn't I order you not to leave the ship?"  
  
"I never told you I'd listen to your orders." Devil snapped back.  
  
"Great." Morpheus said. "Then explain your appearance please. I hardly recognized you."  
  
"I don't believe it's Halloween now. "Niobe added.  
  
Devil nodded and opened her mouth to answer, but closed it immediately. "Not now." She said after a pause.  
  
"Smith." Neo said, now feeling him too. "And he is not alone." He gave Devil questioning look.  
  
"Sentinels. " She answered absent-mindly, thinking about something else. "He copied himself into the Sentinels. Not the whole program, but enough to make them work."  
  
"How do you know?" Morpheus asked.  
  
"Just that I do. I'll explain later." Devil said. "Right now we have to get out of here."  
  
"But where?" Neo asked. "This cave has only one exit. A long and narrow tunnel. There is no way we can leave, before they enter this tunnel."  
  
"I thought you were the optimist." Devil said sarcastically and headed towards the tunnel, Neo was talking about. Others followed her, still confused. After about two minutes Devil disappeared. A moment ago she was walking in front of them, and the next moment she was gone.  
  
"What the ." Morpheus started.  
  
"Nothing is going on. There is just another tunnel here." Devil was standing in front of them once again. "And if you don't want to meet Smith you'd better go there."  
  
Morpheus made a few steps and saw what Devil was talking about. The other tunnel was almost completely hidden by especially big rock. It was hard to notice it was there, if you weren't looking for it.  
  
"How did you know it was there?" Morpheus asked puzzled.  
  
"Later, remember? " Devil reminded him. "Go now."  
  
One by one they disappeared in the tunnel, until the only ones left were Trinity and Devil.  
  
"Go." Devil said. "We have to hurry."  
  
"No." Trinity shook her head. This was the first time she spoke with Devil since they left the ship. "Not before you tell me what is wrong."  
  
"I told you already, I'll explain everything later" Devil said.  
  
"No, you'll tell me now." Trinity certainly wasn't going to leave, and she blocked the entrance to the tunnel, so that Devil couldn't escape this conversation. " Something is wrong with you. You've changed. And don't mean your appearance."  
  
"And what if?" Devil asked. "What if I did really change? Why do we have to discuss it here and now?"  
  
"Because you don't seem to be happy with it." Trinity stated, as if it explained everything.  
  
"And what if I'm not?" Devil asked bitterly. "It's nothing, Trinity. Really. It's just my world falling apart. I can survive this. I just don't want your worlds to be destroyed because of this." She smiled weakly. "Come on. Others are waiting."  
  
Trinity nodded and entered the tunnel. Devil followed her shortly. "May be Azrail was wrong after all." She thought. "May be it is possible." 


	14. Truth

I'll tell you everything  
Though I have to say  
I don't know much  
Blind Guardian "Past and future secret"  
  
Devil was glad no one asked her anything. They should have understood by now, that she was not leading them back to the ship. She only hoped, that they also understood, she had her reasons. Reasons, she was not going to explain them now. Not only because they had Smith following them, but also because she wanted to live in this illusion she created a little bit more. Just a little bit.  
  
They reached their destination point, and Devil heard someone gasping in amazement behind her back. Five of them were standing in the dead end, only that the wall in front of them was made from the metal. Devil smiled at their amusement and put her hands on the metal surface. In the few moments the door opened near the place there were standing.  
  
"Wow!" Neo said. "How did you do this?"  
  
Morpheus was more practical. "How did you know about this place? We searched this area a few times and never even noticed that."  
  
"It wasn't meant for being found." Devil simply answered, entering the construction. "Come on. This door has to slow Smith a little bit. So we will have time to talk."  
  
"So that you will have time to explain." Morpheus corrected, following her. After all of them were in, the door "melted" in the wall and soon it was impossible to tell where has it been just a few moments ago. They found themselves in the room similar to engineering level in Zion. Weak lights allowed to see everything, but didn't allow understanding what exactly was it. Devil made her way to the other room and the rest of them followed her. Finally they ended up in the small room with a few chairs (or something that looked like chairs) and the closed door in front of them.  
  
"Well." Devil sat on the one of the chairs, showing others to do the same. "It seems like I can't keep silence anymore." She said when everyone sat down.  
  
"It's about time." Morpheus muttered. "I'm getting tired of your games already."  
  
Devil shook her head. "Never games, Morpheus. Never." She turned to Neo then. "Can you please look around carefully?"  
  
Confused Neo still did what she asked, turning his head all around, but seeing nothing abnormal or special. Devil shook her head once again. "Not like that. Like if you were in the Matrix." Neo tried to follow her advice, although he saw no point in this. "What do you want to." He stopped in the middle of the sentence. " What the hell?"  
  
"I'd prefer the Hell." Devil thought, but didn't say it loud. She caught the questioning look, Trinity gave to Neo, and waited for him to answer.  
  
"The code." Neo finally managed to say. "I see this place in a code. Like the Matrix. Why?" The last question was addressed to Devil, who was staring to her boots now, her hands playing with her tail absent-mindly.  
  
She'd prefer anything to answering that question. But she knew there was no escape. "Because this is the Matrix."  
  
"What?!" Morpheus cried out.  
  
"Impossible!" Niobe was shocked too.  
  
Trinity remained silent. Devil could only guess if she was too shocked to say anything or if she had believed instantly. "Believed." A little voice said in her head. "Because Neo said that."  
  
"Shut up. "Devil ordered to it. Since her fight with Azrail that voice kept appearing in her head, reminding her of things, she didn't want to think about right now.  
  
Devil waited for some time, until the first shock was over and the people in front of her wereable to understand, what she was saying. "Remember what Architect told Neo? The problem is choice. The Oracle had solved this problem in the very original way. Every human being was granted by the possibility of choice. The choice that never existed. Another Matrix was created for that. You call it the real world. It was the perfect plan, I must admit. People that could sense the lies of the Matrix unconsciously refused to see the same lies in what they thought to be real world. And with Oracle to control and to guide them it could last forever."  
  
For the few moments there was silence in the room. Then the Morpheus spoke, just as slowly and clearly as Devil did. "But it didn't. And I won't even ask why. Coincidence or fate, I don't cae at the moment. What I care about is where it leaves us and. And what had happened today."  
  
Devil sighed. "Let's start from the second question. Today the whole thing went wrong for the Architect. He was too used to winning, that he forgot he could lost. He forgot to check who his opponent was. Otherwise he would see, what I saw, what even Azrail saw."  
  
"See what? " Niobe asked curious.  
  
Devil half-smiled. "What I'd already told you. This time there was no choice. After that, that was only the matter of time, for truth to come out."  
  
"I won't even ask, how you were able to find that truth out." Morpheus said heavily. "But would you be so kind to who the Azrail was exactly? And you appearance."  
  
" Azrail? The fallen angel. A very powerful program that went out of the control, and succeeded in escaping deleting. You can compare him to Smith if you want. He had decided to take justice in his own hands. And failed. As for my appearance." She gave Morpheus surprised look. "Never knew it concerned you."  
  
"And the first question?" Niobe reminded.  
  
Devil nodded. "I remember. Where does that leave you. In the beginning, I suppose. As behind that door lies the exit."  
  
"The exit to the real world? " Neo asked, wanting to make sure he understood her correctly.  
  
"Yes. This time it is real." Devil couldn't help but smile. " It will be hard, but nothing you are not capable to deal with."  
  
""You"?" Trinity raised her eyebrow. "You wanted to say "us"?"  
  
"No. I said exactly what I wanted to say."  
  
"Where does it leave you then? " Neo asked. " And more importantly - why?"  
  
" Here." Devil replied silently. " Because behind that door I do not exist." 


	15. Secret revealed

Without the mask where will you hide  
Can't find yourself lost in your lie  
Evanescence "Everybody's fool"  
  
" What do you mean?" Neo asked totally confused. "How can you not exist there, if there is the real world? It doesn't make any sense."  
  
"Oh, no. It makes sense, Neo. It makes sense perfectly well." Devil said silently. " Because no program can enter the real world. And I'm nothing more than the program."  
  
"You are not." Trinity breathed out.  
  
"Yes, I'm." Devil smiled bitterly. "Look at me. I'm not the girl you used to know. I changed, Trinity. You said it yourself. I became what I had to become, and I lost myself in the process."  
  
She was telling them the truth. And sooner or later they would understand and accept it. She wasn't that little careless girl, they used to know, anymore. Now she was the one giving orders. That girl, the Devil they knew, she had to die. But she didn't. Somehow, she managed to survive the fall to lava-lake, somehow she managed not to go insane when new knowledge filled her mind. She was always there in the corner of the mind. And the impossible was happening. Program became able to feel. She was sitting there scared to death, hiding her fear. Was Azrail right? Will it really be impossible for them to accept her? To treat her like they treated her before? And the most important: was it impossible for her to stay herself?  
  
" Why didn't you tell us before?" Morpheus finally asked. "Do you really mistrust us so much? But why now, then?"  
  
"Why now? Before I didn't know it myself before." Devil paused. "It's becoming a tradition: you have to die to understand. I died, Morpheus. And to survive I had to remember things I never knew. Instincts."  
  
"Who are you then?" Neo asked. " Every program has to be written by someone. "  
  
Devil nodded. "Every program. Even the matrix itself, even that world. Do you know the difference between them? Programs from the one world cannot exist in another. Even Smith had to use human's body to get here. And for the programs that obey the Matrix rules, it's impossible." No one interrupted her to ask what this had to do her origin. Were they too shocked? Too afraid? " That was something Architect always tried to change. He wanted to control this world like he controlled the Matrix."  
  
"You mean that you were created by the Architect?" Niobe exclaimed.  
  
"Not only." May be after all they were just too curious? " By the Architect and by the Oracle. I was planned to be "the perfect program". The one that would be able to exist in the both worlds, to receive information from the Matrix itself, to change code by it's will, but wouldn't have to obey any rules."  
  
"Did they succeed?" Morpheus asked.  
  
Devil nodded. "Yes, they did. After the Matrix that wasn't something impossible for them. They encountered problems only when it came to the realization. Program they wanted to have had to obey them completely, but not obeying the Matrix meant not obeying to them. It seemed to be the dead end, but then you appeared, Neo."  
  
"Me? What does it have to do with me?" Neo asked confused.  
  
Devil smiled. "You are able to change the Matrix, yet you are only human. That was the idea of the One. That was what I had to be. I had to believe I was human. And then the Oracle had to "find" me and to "discover" my powers. And I would be thankful to her and would believe everything she and the Architect intended to "explain" to me." Smile faded from her face. Lie. They intended to tell her the lie. And the worst thing was, that she knew: if everything went up to their plan, they would succeed. She would believe them and would do what they wanted her to do.  
  
"But you went out of their control?" Neo asked.  
  
Devil shook her head. "I never was under their control. They did their work a little bit too good. I never felt I was special or unusual in anyway. I never even suspected something was wrong with me." Only with the rest of the world. "Even my code showed that I was just another teenager. And because of that they had to find absolutely usual and normal girl in the city with ten millions citizens. That was hard even for them." She smiled. " And then I met you. I still don't know what made me to act like that. But there is something I'm sure of: I did what I wanted to, what I felt to be right. And if I had a choice I'd do the same thing again."  
  
"When we asked you what your name was." Neo started.  
  
"I couldn't remember it." Devil answered without hesitation. " It was not like I had amnesia or something like this. I could remember my whole life, but when I started to look for details. No names, no faces."  
  
"You sound so sure about what were the plans about you." Niobe noticed. "How can you know?" "I just do." Devil replied. "It's in the code, may be. I'm not sure. I was created to know." "And still, what about your appearance?" Morpheus asked. "Not that I'm concerned, just curious." "Didn't Neo tell you?" Yes, she needed a moment to make sure if he didn't, but she didn't want to. "All supernatural things that happen are programs that had disobeyed the rules. And as I was supposed to be a human, I broke the rules by my resurrection."  
  
"But what about me? And Smith?" Neo asked.  
  
"You never broke the rules, Neo. You were not supposed to be killed in the Matrix, remember? And Smith. He got over this. If the program is strong enough, it can change its appearance. Smith is strong. Although some programs prefer to show they are rebels. Azrail, for example. And some see no need in masquerade. Like me." Devil paused. "What are you going to say, Trinity? You are keeping silence for a very long time now." Are you going to tell me you were wrong trusting me? Are you going to tell me I betrayed you just like the others?  
  
Trinity looked straight into her eyes and Devil couldn't help but to "recognize" the expression of her face. That was the expression she had half an year ago, when she was deciding Neo's fate. 


	16. Goodbye

I want to go back to  
  
Believing in everything and knowing nothing at all  
  
Evanescence "Fields of innocence"  
  
"When I first saw you, I trusted you. Maybe it was due to your programmed abilities, may be not. It doesn't matter now. It never mattered to me." Trinity was speaking very quietly, but her words still echoed in Devils head. Trinity's opinion mattered. If she could convince her, she could convince Neo, who would convince Morpheus and Niobe in his turn. But more than that Devil wanted her friend to believe her and to accept her. Meanwhile Trinity continued. "I still trust you and I still believe in you. Morpheus once said I needed a little sibling and I answered there were no one worth around. Things had changed since then. I'm used to think about you as of my little sister."  
  
Only now Devil had realized, she was holding her breath. Her voice trembled a little, when she answered. "I'd be honored to be your sister Trinity." For a moment program inside her disappeared, taken aback by emotions. But only for a moment. "Only that programs do not have sisters nor brothers." Inner voice reminded to her. Devil regained her concentration. " You have to leave now."  
  
"Why?" Neo asked puzzled. " This is just another program and I can deal with Smith easily. "  
  
Devil smirked sarcastically. "Remember how you dealing with Sentinels ended last time?"  
  
"That was…" Neo started.  
  
"Besides," Devil continued interrupting him. "you have far more important things to do. You are destined to win the war. The only way I can help you is to handle the battles."  
  
"Ok." Morpheus started slowly. "So we enter that door and? What waits us there?"  
  
"I don't know." Devil admitted. "You'll enter the real world, but I have absolutely no idea of what awaits you there. May be you'll wake up in a pod, surrounded by Sentinels at the dead Earth. May be you'll find another Zion there, may be not. May be you'll find that the war is over, may be you'll find that there is no hope left. I don't know. The only way to find out is to enter this door."  
  
"And what about others?" Niobe asked. "We leave and they stay here? Dodn't you think they have right to know?"  
  
"Don't you think people in the Matrix have right to know they are living the lie?" Devil asked sarcastically. "But you say they are not ready yet. And I say that Zion is not ready to know the truth yet. I'll tell those who are ready when the time comes."  
  
"So let's see if I got you right." Morpheus looked into Devil's eyes. "You want four of us to go into the world we know nothing about, without telling anyone and totally unprepared."  
  
Devil nodded. "That's right. Oh, and you forgot about you ending the war. But that comes mostly to Neo." She suddenly smiled. "And what preparations were you talking about? Permission from Council? Imagine their reaction if you would ask for one."  
  
All five of them laughed. Devil was first to stop. "Time to leave." She said getting up.  
  
"But…" Neo started.  
  
"No "but"." Devil interrupted. "It's time for you to leave. Goodbye." She seemed totally calm, nothing written on her face or seen in her eyes. She was just a program completing her task, why should she feel something? Next few minutes were nothing but a blur for her. There were goodbyes, last-minute-words, hugs but she could as well not to be there. Only when the door closed behind the only family she ever had, she allowed herself to feel. Tears were streaming down her face. She thought about herself as of a human for too long. She actually became as weak as humans were. The problem was she couldn't allow herself to be weak. Not until the job was done. But those people had been her family for too long time. She just couldn't imagine her life without them. Alone. She had to get used to being alone.  
  
"I believe there is still hope." Devil whispered silently wiping the tears away. Hope. Something machines never knew and never had.   
  
Scratching noise could be heard from the entrance. It looked like Smith and his Sentinels had almost gotten rid of the door. Devil smiled weakly through the tears. It was time to get rid of them now. And then… Then she would pay a little visit to her so-called "parents". Rules had changed. If she had to play this game she might as well enjoy it.  
  
A/N: I know it took me such a long time to write such a small chapter. Shame on me, but this is really not my fault. At first I hadn't had a chance to get to the computer and now I'm have to study for my exams. Anyway, that was supposed to be the last chapter. I'm thinking about writing the epilogue though. What do you think? 


	17. Epilogue

Maybe someday you'll look up,  
And, barely conscious, you'll say to no  
one:  
"Isn't something missing?"  
Evanescence "Missing"  
  
Down, down, down. Rock was falling and Devil was falling with it. Azrail said this crack had no bottom. Rock was falling without any aim, without any hope. So was she. Six month had passed since that memorable day. Devil fulfilled her promise and told zionites the truth. But only few did believe her. Link and Zee, Cass, "Logos"' crew, Kid and few others. Devil never left trying, but she could understand skeptics too well. She was trying to steal everything they fought for, to destroy their lives. Just like she destroyed her own. She didn't even need to tell anyone she wasn't human, people avoided her even without this. Word spread fast in Zion. Soon Devil gave up on her masquerade. No one seemed to care.  
  
Funny, but the only ones who seemed to care were Oracle and Architect. Yes, Devil understood they only wanted her powers, not her. But sometimes she was so eager to forget this.  
  
" What are you waiting for? " Oracle once asked. " How long did it take for rebels to find the way back to the Matrix? No more than the month. Face it, they are ether dead or don't want to return."  
  
Unreasonable hope. Sign of weakness. Sign of humanity? Despite everything Devil still hoped. Miracles do happen. Miracles do happen, don't they?  
  
She told Neo the truth. She couldn't win this war. All key-programs of the Matrix were protected from her. She couldn't kill their human forms, couldn't delete their code. Damn, she could do nothing. Ship crews still freed people from the Matrix and Devil tried to ease this for them as she could. No Sentinels, no agent except Smith, as many exits as possible. The problem was, she didn't know why all this was needed. Leaving one lie to be stucked in another? People deserved more. Morpheus could convince them. But Morpheus was not there. Neo could make them believe. But Neo wasn't there ether.  
  
Past became more blur with every day. If code wouldn't remember everything for her, Devil would decide it was only a dream. Dream in which she actually had had family. Dream in which she was loved. The only thing left from this dream was hope. But Devil knew it wouldn't survive long. Down, down, down. Rock was still falling, because there was no bottom. One day she would fall with it for real. Eternity ago she vowed it would be the day Matrix was destroyed. Now she considered breaking her vow.  
  
"Devil!" Voice was so familiar it was hard to breath. Devil turned her head slowly. Miracles do happen.  
  
A\N: Well, another Mary-Sue-fic is over. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers. I really appreciate your patience. And sorry for all mistakes I made, for my bad writing style and lack of fantasy. 


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